Snowshoe weekend in training

What do you do in the winter when you don't ski?

What do you do when you need to keep up the up hill training on snow in preparation for a summer of challenges , Mont Blanc, Matterhorn to name but a few.

You book a weekend of snowshoeing in and around the Mont Blanc massif.

This is what happend when three ladies from London needed to get some mountain fitness training in winter conditions in preparation for there summer hight mountain challenges.

First time on snowshoes for all three of them & considering they all live in the city a seriously good level of fitness.

Day 1 Saturday: Servoz to Chalets d'Ayeres which gave a good deal of ascent with stunning views throughout.

Day 2 Sunday: Italian Val Ferret & the Refuge Bonatti at 2025 m. Cold & windy conditions but clear & sunny gave amazing views of the Mont Blanc massif from the Italian side.

A great weekend ladies (Nicole, Bernie & Katerina you were a please to trek with for the weekend.

Mont Blanc Treks: Whats hot and whats not this week

What's hot: The warm Foehn wind blowing through the Val Ferret yesterday making things feel positively spring like.

What's not: Price & temperature of a vaguely warm hot chocolate on the mountain at Les Houches, 5 euros, you are having a laugh!

Ski de Fond in the Val Ferret

The weather continues.... bien, bien, bien. Still no snow on the horizon but the other side of the Mont Blanc Massif offers the best there is. We headed through the tunnel again today this time for a whizz up the Val Ferret for a cross country ski. 

The Italian Val Ferret offers 10 kms of easy blue piste with an additional 7 kms of harder black pistes that join in with the main area... cross country ski or ski de fond has the same grading system as down hill skiing... black, red & blue being the easiest. 

We arrived at 10.30am before the sun had reached the valley floor, this made for a cold start so getting a move on was the order of the hour! Within 2 kms we had reached the sun.... instant warmth and the removal of layers! Taking in the additional black loops we headed towards Lavachey... one final ascent before lunch proved the ultimate killer! Hence we arrived at the hotel at tad jaded... picnic, italian coffee and a well earned rest in the sun before heading back.

8 kms to return to Planpinceux including the addition black pistes... we headed back to our start point enjoying fabulous views of Mont Blanc and the Val Veny beyond. Another stunning day in the Val Ferret.

Mont Blanc Treks 2011

Sunny Sunday in the Val Ferret

Despite the lack of snow over the past 6 weeks the blue skies have provided us with the most stunning weather for snowshoeing, walking and nordic skiing. With the continued stable sunny weather we headed to the Italian Val Ferret, parked at Entreves and took the Navetta to Planpincieux to start our trek.

We headed along the pedestrian track running along the valley bottom next to the nordic ski piste in just over an hour we were enjoying our first coffee of the day at Lavachey.

Beyond Lavachey we join the road (no vehicular access in winter due to the snow) for a short while and climb up towards Arnurva the head of the Val Ferret, below the Refugio Elna and the Col du Ferret.


A welcome lunch stop in the sun we enjoyed unseasonal temperatures of 11 degrees!

We made our way back to Lavachey via the same route and back along the valley bottom to our start point at Planpincieux. 

What a fabulous day, truly stunning in every way... who needs fresh snow!